1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plate making and printing press.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, an integrated plate making and printing press has been unavailable which has a printing sheet number storing memory means in order to realize automatic continuous operation for sorting printed paper sheets. Therefore, when printed paper sheets are desired to be sorted with the conventional plate making and printing press, a sorting means such as a tape marker is actuated at the termination of a printing process for a preset printing sheet number and the printing process is stopped until a subsequent printing process is started. If the subsequent printing process is for the same plate and the same printing sheet number, a print start command can merely be issued. Contrarily, if the subsequent printing is for a different printing sheet number (class sorting printing), it is necessary that a renewed printing sheet number be inputted and then the print start command be issued. In an instance wherein when a printing process based on a plate is finished for a preset printing sheet number, a subsequent printing process based on a different plate is performed, a manuscript for the subsequent printing is set at the termination of the preceding printing and a plate making start command is then issued to perform sequential procedures of "plate discharge", "plate making" and "plate feed".
If the printing sheet number needs to be renewed, a renewed printing sheet number is set and thereafter the subsequent printing is started by operating a print start key. In these cases, the user is forced to constantly engage in the press so as to take care of troublesome operations for individual procedures.
Putting aside the integrated plate making and printing press, a press dedicated to printing has hitherto been available which comprises, in combination, a means for storing a plurality of printing sheet numbers and a means for sorting discharged paper sheets. The conventional printing press can only afford to carry out a continuous operation for sorting paper sheets printed in accordance with the same plate into classes of different sets of printing sheet number.
For sorting paper sheets printed in accordance with different plates, it is necessary that at the termination of a printing process based on a plate, sorting be effected using the sorting means, the plate be discharged and another plate precedently prepared by a plate maker be set and a subsequent printing process be started. The above procedures have to be done repetitiously, resulting in troublesome operations.